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Can laboratory-based surveillance help identify populations most at risk of invasive pneumococcal disease in South Africa? Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, remains an important cause of illness and death in South Africa, particularly among young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. Although the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) into the Expanded […]

What do the latest GERMS-SA surveillance findings reveal about disease trends in South Africa? Infectious diseases caused by bacterial, fungal, and parasitic pathogens remain a major public health concern. Surveillance systems that rely on laboratory-confirmed cases provide critical insights into disease burden and epidemiology, but can be affected by disruptions in diagnostic and reporting capacity.

How can One Health surveillance reveal hidden trends in human and animal cases? Rabies, endemic in South Africa, is a fatal viral infection affecting livestock, wildlife, domestic animals, and humans through direct zoonotic exposure. Although rabies has been reported in numerous mammalian species, most human infections are associated with contact with rabid domestic dogs. Traditional

How effectively are rifampicin-resistant TB patients in Gauteng linked to care and initiated on treatment? Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that primarily affects the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body. Common symptoms include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Without timely diagnosis